Chair arm



March 19, 1963 D. ALBINSON CHAIR ARM Filed Jan. 25, 1961 44 111: III

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NTOR. 001v Al. WsoN BY W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,082,036 CHAIR ARM Don Albinson, Venice, Califl, assignor to Herman Miller, Inc., Zeeland, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Fiied Jan. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 84,893 7 Claims. ((11. 297-416) This invention relates to a chair and chair arm and more particularly to a novel manner of detachably connecting the chair arm to the chair.

This invention is adapted to be used with a chair such as a nesting chair shown in United States Patent No. 2,893,469. This type of chair is particularly designed to be readily stacked for storage purposes. Thus, any attempt to place an arm on this type of chair which is not readily removable would interfere with the stacking of the chairs.

This raises several problems. The chair arm must be sturdy yet must be quickly removable and attachable. The attachment to the chair must be made in such a manner that a minimum of labor is required to anchor it and disengage it. Anything that requires detailed mechanical mechanism is not feasible because of the time involved in attaching the chair arms to the chair and also due to the high cost of labor. This is particularly true when hundreds of these chairs are used in an auditorium or similar institutions.

The instant invention has completely eliminated the necessity for all conventional type fasteners to secure the chair arm to the chair. The personnel attaching the arms or dismounting them need not bend over to tighten thumb screws or set screws, or to make other adjustments. The arm is attached by a simple slide-in arrangement in which two prongs on the chair arm are telescopically received by a pair of sockets secured to the support structure on the chair. The sockets are within the outline of the seat of the chair and therefore do not interfere with the stacking of the chairs.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a chair arm which is readily attachable and detachable from its chair.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a chair arm which is composed of a minimum number of component parts and is therefore economical to manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a chair arm which is particularly adapted to use with nesting chairs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chair arm which is detachably connectable to its chair without any conventional fasteners such as thumb screws or set screws. 1

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon reading the specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a chair and chair arm constructed according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the chair arm of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the section line III-lII of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the chair arm.

Basically, this invention relates to a chair arm which is particularly adapted to use with a nesting chair. The chair arm includes a tablet used for writing purposes or may be in the form of an arm rest. An attachment plate is fixed to the bottom of the tablet and has fixed thereto a pair of spaced downwardly depending posts. A cross brace extends between the post approximately midway the end thereof to stabilize the posts. The ends of the posts are bent inwardly to form a pair of prongs. The

3,08Z,ii36 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 prongs assume a skewed angle under the tablet. The standards of the chair are provided with a pair of sockets which are fixed thereto and underlie the seat of the chair. The ends of the socket face the side of the chair. The sockets telescopically receive the prongs of the chair arm which is positioned to the side and above the seat of the chair.

Referring now to the drawings, the chair and chair arm assembly is designated generally as 10. The assembly 10 includes the seat 15, the rear standard 17, the front standard 27, the anchor plate 35 and support sockets 36 and 37, and the chair arm 40.

FIGS. 1 and 2 best show the chair arm attached to the stacking chair now to be described.

The chair is similar to that of the nesting chair disclosed in Patent No. 2,893,469. The chair has a molded one piece seat which includes the back. The seat is supported by front and rear standards 27 and 17 respectively. The rear standard 17 is generally U-shaped having spaced legs 18 and 19 connected together by a cross piece 20.

The front standard 27 is similar in design to the rear standard and has a pair of spaced legs 28 and 29 connected together by a cross piece 30.

The cross pieces 20 and 3-9 are fixed to mounting straps 31 by means such as welding. The mounting straps 31 are in turn fixed to the seat 15 by conventional fasteners. The standards 17 and 27 are connected together by tie members 24 and 25 which stabilize the standards.

A rectangular shaped anchor plate 35 is fixed to the cross pieces 20 and 30 as best shown in FIG. 3. The connection may be made by any conventional means such as weldment. The anchor plate 35 is of a length such that the ends thereof project beyond the cross pieces 20 and 30.

Fixed to the ends of the anchor plate 35 are hollow sleevelike sockets 36 and 37. These members are welded to the anchor plate 35 or fastened thereto by some other type of conventional fastening means. The sockets 36 and 37 are adapted to receive prongs formed on the chair arm 44). The sockets 3c and 37 lie adjacent the upturned portions of the cross pieces 20 and 3% and are in substantially the same plane. The open ends of the sockets 36 and 37 face toward the side of the seat 15 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The chair arm 40 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. It has a tablet 41 which is generally L-shaped and is of the conventional design utilized for chair arm writing.

Although this type of tablet is shown, it is to be under stood that within the broadest aspect of this invention a straight chair arm may be utilized merely as an arm rest in place of the embodiment shown.

An attachment plate 42, in the form of a piece of angle iron, has one flange thereof fixed to the bottom of the tablet 41 by conventional fasteners such as screws. The other flange of the attachment plates 42 depends downwardly therefrom and has welded thereto a pair of spaced posts 43 and 44. The posts 43 and 44 may be fixed to the attachment plate 42 by means such as welding. The other ends of the posts 43 and 44 depend downwardly from the tablet 41 and converge toward each other as best shown in FIG. 2. The ends of the posts 43 and 44 are bent inwardly to form prongs 45 and 46 respectively which are parallel to each other below the bend. The prongs 45 and 46 are at a skewed angle with respect to the tablet 41, but underlie it.

A cross brace 47 is connected between the posts 43 and 44 approximately midway between the ends thereof to provide added stability to the posts 43 and 44 and the chair arm 40 as a whole.

Assembly The assembly of the chair arm 40 to the chair 12 is simple. It is merely necessary to align the prongs 45 and 46 with the ends of sockets 37 and 36 respectively and slide the prongs into the sockets. The prongs 45 and 4-6 are thus telescopically received by the sockets 37 and 36 which support the chair arm 40 including the tablet 41 to the side and above the actual seat portion of the chair.

The prongs 45, 46 slide into the sockets 37, 36 until the bend area of the prongs begins to wedge into the ends of the sockets. This provides for a non-wiggle fit, even though there is plenty of clearance between the size of the prongs andsocket for ease of manufacture and assembly.

The fact that the arm assembly slides inwardly and downwardly assures that gravity and normal loads in use will more firmly fix the prongs into the socket and prevent accidental dis-assembly of the arm from the base.

Although the arrangement disclosed in the drawings shows the chair arm 40 mounted on the left side of the chair, it is to be understood that within the broadest aspect of the invention the chair arm may be mounted on either side of the chair and is preferably mounted on the right side since most people are right-handed and would require the tablet on the right side. Although not shown, it is also to be understood that the chair standards might be provided with arm chair supporting structure including the anchor plate 35 and sockets 36 and 37 on both sides of the standards 17 and 27. Such a chair could be provided with the chair arm on the right or left side either as the situation might demand. Also, the chair arm 40 may be symmetrically designed such that it may be utilized interchangeably on either side of the chair.

The chair arm 40 is detached from the chair 12 by merely pulling the prongs 45 and 46 from the sprockets 37 and 36 respectively. The chair arm 40 can be stored separately from the chairs 12. The stacking principle of the chairs 12 is not interfered with because the support structure including the anchor plate 35 and sockets 36 and 37 are positioned out of the way under the seat 15.

It can be seen that the invention disclosed herein provides a chair arm which can be attached and detached from a chair quickly and simply. The supporting struc ture for the chair arm is fixed to the chair in a manner so as not to interfere with the stacking principle of the chair. The chair arm is constructed of a minimum number of component parts and is therefore economical to manufacture. Due to the simple way in Which the chair arm is connected to the chairs, many man hours are saved in assembly and disassembly. The prong and socket interconnection between the support structure and the chair arm provides a device which is suificiently strong to with stand the required use of such a chair arm.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, it will be understood that modifications may be made thereto. Such of these modifications as incorporate the principles of this invention are to be considered as included in the appended claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

I claim:

1. A combination chair andarm therefor comprising; chair standards, a seat supported by said standards, support sockets fixed to said standards and projecting toward the side of said seat and upwardly, and a chair arm having posts slidably received by said sockets to detachably connect said chair arm to said chair; said posts being skewed with respect to said sockets and inclined downwardly and toward said chair; said sockets and posts cooperating to hold said arm and chair securely interfitted by gravity and the weight of any article placed on said arm, and said skewed posts limiting said interfitting and forming a non-slip fit therebetween.

2. A combination chair and arm therefor comprising; chair standards, a seat supported by said standards, said standards having cross pieces, an anchor plate connected between said cross pieces; a support socket fixed to each end of said anchor plate and lying adjacent said cross pieces, said sockets being oriented diagonally upwardly and outwardly of the side of said chair; a chair arm having a writing tablet, posts depending from said tablet and having skewed prong portions extending diagonally downwardly and toward said chair, said skewed prong portions being telescopically received by said support sockets by shifting said prong portions downwardly and toward said chair to detachably connect said chair arm to said chair and said sockets and prong portions cooperating to hold the interfit of said chair and arm securely by the force of gravity and the weight of any article placed on said arm.

3. A combination chair and arm therefor as in claim 2 wherein said support sockets and said posts are tubular members.

4. A chair arm adapted to be detachably connected to a chair comprising; a writing tablet, an attachment plate connected to the bottom of said tablet, posts fixed to said attachment plate and depending diagonally downwardly and laterally therefrom, said posts having skewed foot portions being adapted to fit into support members on a chair.

5. A chair arm adapted to be detachably connected to a chair as in claim 4 wherein a cross brace is fixed between said posts to stabilize said posts.

6. A combination chair and arm therefor comprising; chair standards, a seat supported by said standards, support sockets fixed to said standards and lying under said seat, the ends of said support sockets facing a side of said seat and oriented diagonally upwardly and laterally, and a chair arm having posts depending diagonally downwardly and laterally toward said chair; said posts being slidably received by said sockets to detachably connect said chair arm to said chair; and said posts and sockets cooperating to hold said arm firmly on said chair by the force of gravity and the weight on any article placed on said arm.

7. A combination chair and arm therefor comprising; chair standards, a seat supported by said standards, said standards having cross pieces, an anchor plate connected between said cross pieces; a support socket fixed to each end of said anchor plate and lying adjacent said cross pieces, and under said seat, the ends of said support sockets facing a side of the chair; a chair arm having a writing tablet, posts depending from said tablet and having skewed prong portions bent inwardly under said tablet, a brace fixed to said posts and extending transversely therebetween, said skewed prong portions being telescopically received by said support sockets to detachably connect said chair arm to said chair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,995,739 Friesner Mar. 26, 1935 2,653,649 Linquist Sept. 29, 1953 2,751,971 Gentsch June 26, 1956 2,857,958 Wright Oct. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 550,583 Canada Dec. 24, 1957 

1. A COMBINATION CHAIR AND ARM THEREFOR COMPRISING; CHAIR STANDARDS, A SEAT SUPPORTED BY SAID STANDARDS, SUPPORT SOCKETS FIXED TO SAID STANDARS AND PROJECTING TOWARD THE SIDE OF SAID SEAT AND UPWARDLY, AND A CHAIR ARM HAVING POSTS SLIDABLY RECEIVED BY SAID SOCKETS TO DETACHABLY CONNECT SAID CHAIR ARM TO SAID CHAIR; SAID POSTS BEING SKEWED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SOCKETS AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY AND TOWARD SAID CHAIR; SAID SOCKETS AND POSTS COOPERATING TO HOLD SAID ARM AND CHAIR SECURELY INTERFITTED BY GRAVITY AND THE WEIGHT OF ANY ARTICLE PLACED ON SAID ARM, AND SAID SKEWED POSTS LIMITING SAID INTERFITTING AND FORMING A NON-SLIP FIT THEREBETWEEN. 